Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Scholastic Book Fair: 1. bookbk: 0.

Personal anecdotes are not the focus of this blog, but it does seem relevant to note in this space that the Scholastic Book Fair literally attacked my brain today.

I was roving around the library, checking the good-stuff-to-licensed-crap ratio in the big prestocked bookcases, when a dictionary leaped from its spot on display atop one of the cases and fell on my head, hard pointy corners first.

It didn't quite knock me unconscious, but it sent me reeling and hurt a lot more than you'd think. I've been dizzy all day. I think I have a concussion.

It's hard to avoid suspecting that the Spirit of Scholastic Books, Inc. was exacting vengeance on me for hiding the Bratz books and moving the Barbie Activity Set to an inconspicuous spot. So the question is: what would be a suitable act of reprisal?

I too hate parts of the bookfair. This year they cut my number of book cases. When I called to complain, the representative told me they did not cut the number of shelves, I received smaller shelves than last year. You could have fooled me - they are the same crappy shelves with dents in the top so large that books will not stay on top, unless you want them to fall off on unsuspecting students.

Just wanted to pass along a great book fair company that i just finished up. It is from Imagine Nation Books Ltd. called:

TakeHomeBookFair.com

I have done dozens of book fairs in my time and THIS one is by far the easiest and they give a 40% rebate which really cant be matched. It doesn’t take any volunteers either. My school received over $3659 in cash and books! (30% CASH 10% books)

You are absolutely right when you mentioned the other companies hold “captive audience for a gadget fair” It is converse to the “wholeness” of what a book fair should be. And I don’t like the fact that Scholastic dumps their stuff off and leaves us to do all of the work. I pull my hair out each year doing these.

I recommend TakeHomeBookFair.com to everyone if they want excellent durable, up-to-date titles . Their program is by far the newest and most beneficial I have ever seen, not to mention the easiest! It doesnt take a list of volunteers and doesn’t take up your library space.

The account manager I spoke with at Take Home Book Fair was Shane Davis. He was so helpful and was always there if I had a question. He sent 680 Take Home Book Fair catalogs to our school for free and we held the fair for 2 weeks. One other benefit is the teachers get 50% off everything. Each student took one catalog home with them and returned with their orders within our fair timeline.

About 9 days after I send my orders in they UPS shipped our orders (pre-sorted in individually labeled boxes for each student)!! I couldn’t believe it. For the first time I didn’t have to sort through hundreds of books. And I didn’t have to move any tables and racks etc…

I ran the Take Home Book Fair by myself. You can get a free catalog on their website. I am staying with this company. No more pulling my hair out. I will post their website on this blog.

Myrtle Jane Chicken, Literary Maven

About book book book

About Els Kushner

I'm a lifelong text addict, kid lit and YA lit afficianado, former independent bookstore worker, and--oh, right--a librarian for ten years running now. My real name is Elisabeth June Kushner, but the only people who call me that are my dad, my doctor, and the checkout folks at Fred Meyers. You can call me Els. Or bookbk. Or Um, Hey, Library Lady; that works too.
Email: elskushner [at] gmail dot com.